Editorials

As time passes by, one begins to realize the impact of aging. Several years ago, when it was not as important as today, I noted that there would be a mad rush to the heavens at some point. I felt it was a mathematical thing. When an industry has an...

Recently NAAA, through NAAREF, has released a comprehensive educational program for ag-pilots that will put money in their pockets and help to bring them home safely after each day of flying. For the last two decades and a half, PAASS has been a valuable tool in aiding the ag aviation...

About 30 years ago in the early 1990s, I had the opportunity to conduct an evaluation flight in Air Tractor’s newly certified AT-802A. At the time, Chuck Kemper (since deceased) of Queen Bee Air Specialities in Rigby, Idaho was an Air Tractor dealer. Mr. Leland Snow had delegated Mr. Chuck...

I just finished attending two state shows, Arkansas and Texas, with the Mississippi convention coming late this week. If attendance at Mississippi is anything like Arkansas and Texas shows, it will be a good one. Graham has and will make more state shows than me this year, something that has...

This is the last English edition of AgAir Update for 2022. Overall, the year has been good for ag-aviation worldwide, better in some places than others. However, that is the nature of the game. As 2022 winds down and everyone prepares for 2023, I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and...

Have you made plans to attend this year’s NAAA Ag-Aviation Expo? For the first time, the expo will be in Knoxville, Tennessee. Knoxville is a very convenient location for the vast majority of US ag pilots. I can’t remember when I visited Knoxville, even though it is a relatively short...

Nine! As of this writing on August 23, nine US ag pilots have lost their lives while ag flying and an additional one in Canada. It’s not an unheard-of number in years past, but still unacceptable. In the past 26-27 years since PAASS was implemented, the lowest number of fatalities...

I remember when the concept of PAASS was introduced to the ag aviation industry in the mid-1990s. At the time, I served as the NAAA representative for the Georgia AAA and was a member of the Steering Committee for the implementation of PAASS. I remember all too well the backlash...

I am often reminded of my age, especially since I am about to enter into my seventh decade. There are many reasons to be somewhat dismayed at approaching 70 this year. However, there are more reasons to be thankful to my God, family and friends for such a joyous and...

I am not sure when the ag-aviation industry will accept UAVs; for some operators, never. Of course, that would be a narrow view of relatively new technology. Change is inevitable and should be embraced to a degree. All change is not good. And, some change has its time and place,...